Katrina Shankland (born August 4, 1987) is an American community organizer and Democratic politician from Stevens Point, Wisconsin. She is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 71st Assembly district since 2013. She ran in the 2024 Democratic primary for United States House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district, losing to Rebecca Cooke.
Katrina Shankland | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 71st district | |
| Assumed office January 7, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Louis Molepske |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 4, 1987 Wausau, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jed |
| Education | University of Wisconsin–Marathon County Marquette University University of Wisconsin–Madison (BA) University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point (MS) |
| Website | |
Biography
editShankland was born in Wausau, Wisconsin, in 1987, and raised in rural Wittenberg, Wisconsin. As a child, she participated in the Scripps National Spelling Bee after winning Wisconsin's Badger State Spelling Bee in 2000.[1] She graduated from Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School in 2005 as valedictorian of her class.[2][3] She went on to attend University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point at Wausau and Marquette University before earning her bachelor's degree in political science and Latin American studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2009. She continued her education after joining the Assembly, earning her master's degree in 2019 from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.[3]
After graduating from college, she was employed for several years as a coordinator for the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.[4] She also became involved as a community organizer for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and was active for the campaign of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in the 2012 Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election.[3]
Political career
editShankland entered the Democratic primary race for Wisconsin State Assembly in the 71st Assembly district, which ultimately attracted nine candidates. Shankland narrowly won with 27% of the vote in the August primary, with a winning margin of 44 votes.[5] In the general election, she faced fellow first-time candidate Patrick Testin, carrying 60% of the vote and winning the seat for the 2013–2014 term.[6][7] She was reelected without opposition in 2014, 2016, and 2018, and defeated challengers in 2020 and 2022 to win a fifth and sixth term.[8][9]
On October 2, 2023, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Shankland planned to launch a campaign for United States House of Representatives in 2024, challenging first-term Republican incumbent Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district.[10] Shankland confirmed the news and officially announced her campaign for Congress the next day.[11] She was defeated in the Democratic primary by Rebecca Cooke.[12]
Electoral history
editWisconsin Assembly (2012–2022)
edit| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Primary[5] | Aug. 14 | Katrina Shankland | Democratic | 1,383 | 26.96% | Corey D. Ladick | Dem. | 1,339 | 26.10% | 5,130 | 44 |
| Jeri McGinkey | Dem. | 836 | 16.30% | |||||||||
| Andrew Logan Beveridge | Dem. | 771 | 15.03% | |||||||||
| David J. Verhage | Dem. | 319 | 6.22% | |||||||||
| Tom Mallison | Dem. | 142 | 2.77% | |||||||||
| Robert L. Steinke | Dem. | 118 | 2.30% | |||||||||
| Laura Hauser-Menting | Dem. | 117 | 2.28% | |||||||||
| Hans Schmid | Dem. | 101 | 1.97% | |||||||||
| General[6] | Nov. 6 | Katrina Shankland | Democratic | 17,619 | 60.82% | Patrick Testin | Rep. | 11,279 | 38.94% | 28,968 | 6,340 | |
| 2014 | General[13] | Nov. 4 | Katrina Shankland (inc.) | Democratic | 17,134 | 97.79% | 17,521 | 16,747 | ||||
| 2016 | General[14] | Nov. 8 | Katrina Shankland (inc.) | Democratic | 21,834 | 98.90% | 22,076 | 21,592 | ||||
| 2018 | General[15] | Nov. 6 | Katrina Shankland (inc.) | Democratic | 20,548 | 97.75% | 21,022 | 20,074 | ||||
| 2020 | General[8] | Nov. 3 | Katrina Shankland (inc.) | Democratic | 17,753 | 55.51% | Scott C. Soik | Rep. | 14,206 | 44.42% | 31,979 | 3,547 |
| 2022 | General[9] | Nov. 8 | Katrina Shankland (inc.) | Democratic | 15,930 | 57.05% | Scott C. Soik | Rep. | 11,976 | 42.89% | 27,923 | 3,954 |
U.S. House of Representatives (2024)
editReferences
edit- ^ Milfred, Scott (April 9, 2000). "Standing atop word mountain". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 23. Retrieved February 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School Class of 2005". The Post-Crescent. May 13, 2005. p. 56. Retrieved February 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Representative Katrina Shankland". Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ Zervakis, Pete (October 24, 2021). "In Focus: State Rep. Katrina Shankland thinks Wisconsin can do more to promote green energy". Spectrum News 1 (Wisconsin). Retrieved February 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Canvass Results for 2012 Partisan Primary - 8/14/2012 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. August 28, 2012. pp. 51–52. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ a b Canvass Results for 2012 Presidential and General Election - 11/6/2012 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 26, 2012. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 21, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ "Shankland eager to prepare for job in Madison". Stevens Point Journal. November 8, 2012. p. A1. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ a b Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 15, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ a b Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 25. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ Andrea, Lawrence (October 2, 2023). "Democratic race for Wisconsin battleground 3rd Congressional District to grow with entrance of Katrina Shankland". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ Mentzer, Rob (October 3, 2023). "State Rep. Katrina Shankland joins race to unseat GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ^ Andrea, Lawrence (August 13, 2024). "Rebecca Cooke wins heated Democratic primary to take on Rep. Derrick Van Orden". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. November 26, 2014. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 13, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 7, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. February 22, 2019. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 7, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2021.